Doncaster’s Louis Tomlinson supports Sheffield children’s charity

Stephanie Bateman

A Sheffield charity which supports children with Encephalitis has won Sainsbury’s Sheffield’s prestigious Charity of the Year accolade – and will celebrate its new partnership by staging a number of fundraising events.

The Eden Dora Trust was set up two years ago by a Sheffield mum named Petrina after her six-year-old daughter Eden became seriously ill with Encephalitis.

Encephalitis is a potentially deadly brain inflammation, which can occur at any time. It can leave a child with life-changing brain injuries and disabilities.

The first of these fundraising events is an awareness day at Sainsbury’s Sheffield’s Archer Road store, consisting of volunteers and supporters of the Eden Dora Trust helping customers to pack their shopping bags whilst raising awareness of childhood Encephalitis. This will take place this coming weekend (Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October 2016).

The aim of the charity is to help make life better and easier for children and their families and carers affected through support, information, research and rehabilitation.

The Eden Dora Trust is the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to children who suffer from Encephalitis. Charity patrons include Louis Tomlinson, Paul Dickov, Joe Hart and Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.

Petrina said: “We were very honoured and excited to be chosen as Sainsbury’s charity partner of the year, and we are really looking forward to working together with Sainsbury’s.

“Community is at the heart of everything we do as a charity so to be involved with such a community-focused organisation in a city as friendly and supportive as Sheffield is without doubt a huge boost.

“Eden was very lucky to survive Encephalitis, when so many other children do not. There was nowhere near enough support available, and we knew that we needed to help others. We were adamant that other families and carers were not to go through this devastating illness alone, like we had to.

“Vital funds raised from events such as those on Friday and Saturday will help pioneering research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments of this debilitating illness, produce educational literature, and provide training for families, teachers and health care professionals involved with the ongoing care and rehabilitation affected by this life-changing illness.

“If anyone can spare any time at all to help, whether that’s an hour or two, or the whole day, that would be be amazing. Children are welcome too.”

Further events that the Eden Dora Trust and Sainsbury’s have organised together are: